Xbox One launch game Ryse: Son of Rome includes microtransactions

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The last time we talked about microtransactions linked to a console game was back in February. Dead Space 3 shipped with over $50 worth of DLC and microtransactions in place, which although not essential, was very useful if you has the cash to spend. Now it looks as though microtransactions are set to make the jump to next-gen, with Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome incorporating them for armor pack unlocks.

More specifically, the multiplayer experience included with Ryse uses an armor-based progression system. In order to get that armor you need to earn gold, which you do simply by playing multiplayer. Your gold is used to purchase booster packs, which take the form of loot that may contain new armor. The booster packs are split into Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. Each tier costs more than the last, but there’s also more chance of you getting rare items in a Silver over a Bronze pack, and Gold over Silver.

Where microtransactions come into play is if you don’t have enough in-game gold to purchase the pack you want. If you have 10,000 gold and the Gold booster pack costs 15,000, you can opt to make up the difference with a real-world cash purchase on on-game gold.

Apparently the multiplayer in Ryse has been designed to allow the player to grind for more gold and experience, but you can speed up the process simply by paying. So if you have the cash to spend, you could become quite a well-equipped character without having to play the game for very long. How much Ryse will charge for gold has yet to be announced, though.

Gamers interested in playing Ryse: Son of Rome can take comfort in the fact microtransactions are just a feature of multiplayer, not the single-player experience. But this does act as a reminder that developers/publishers are experimenting with offering incentives and shortcuts for spending money while you play, rather than just to purchase a game in the first place.